Wazzup Pilipinas!?
Calumpit, Bulacan — July 3, 2025 — Under the punishing sun of a Philippine morning, a quiet revolution stirred within the bustling alleys of El Mercado de Calumpit. Amid the chatter of vendors and the aroma of native delicacies, a message rose above the noise—one that declared war on one of humanity’s most enduring enemies: plastic pollution.
On International Plastic Bag Free Day 2025, the environmental justice group BAN Toxics, together with grassroots allies and academic champions, rallied the people of Calumpit to say “enough” to the tyranny of single-use plastic bags. This year’s campaign wasn’t just another awareness drive—it was a full-throated battle cry against environmental destruction, launched from the very heart of Bulacan.
From Market Stalls to Global Movement
With support from the Office of Mayor Lem Faustino, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office, MDRRMO, Eco-Laya, FiliPhiNous, student environmentalists from Bulacan State University, El Mercado de Calumpit Vendors Association, and the determined warriors of the #MalinisNaIlog Movement, BAN Toxics turned an ordinary public market into a bastion of sustainability.
They didn’t just hand out flyers—they handed over a dream. A vision of a Philippines free from the stifling grip of plastic suffocation. One bag at a time.
The Hidden Dangers of the “Eco-Bag”
In a dramatic revelation that shocked even some of the most eco-conscious attendees, BAN Toxics laid bare the greenwashing trickery of so-called “eco-bags.” While the term suggests earth-friendliness, many of these bags are made from polypropylene, polyester, and nylon—materials that continue to choke oceans, fill landfills, and leach toxic chemicals like phthalates and bisphenols into our ecosystems.
Instead, the group championed a return to our cultural roots: the bayong—a traditional Filipino basket made from buri, pandan, abaca, water lily, and rattan. These aren't just biodegradable—they are beautifully Filipino, a cultural icon transformed into an ecological weapon.
Bulacan Leading the Way
The province has long taken a hardline stance. With Provincial Ordinance No. 2012-09, Bulacan outlawed the use and sale of non-biodegradable plastic bags and Styrofoam, long before plastic bans became fashionable. It’s a policy that many LGUs are still struggling to emulate. As of 2019, only 489 out of 1,634 municipalities had implemented similar regulations.
But the fight is far from over.
Despite localized bans, plastic waste continues to mount. According to a 2019 Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) study, Filipinos generate 60 billion sachets, 17.5 billion shopping bags, and 16.5 billion labo bags annually. Plastic still litters our seas, clogs our rivers, and poisons our soil. And at the rate the world is going, global plastic consumption is projected to hit 1.2 billion tonnes annually by 2060.
A Cry from the Trenches
“The plastics crisis is urgent,” declared Thony Dizon, Advocacy and Campaign Officer of BAN Toxics, standing in front of a mural depicting a strangled ocean. “Toxic chemicals are released throughout the plastic lifecycle, and single-use bags are among the worst offenders. We cannot wait for disaster. We must act now.”
Dizon didn’t mince words. His voice joined a growing chorus demanding a nationwide ban on single-use plastics and a radical shift toward reuse and repair—not just for the environment, but for the health and dignity of future generations.
Towards a Global Treaty—Geneva Awaits
This isn’t just a local skirmish. It’s part of a global war. In 2022, the United Nations launched an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to draft a Global Plastics Treaty—a legally binding agreement aimed at eradicating plastic pollution. BAN Toxics is on the frontlines of this fight, advocating for strong, enforceable commitments from nations.
The next chapter of this global negotiation will unfold from August 5–14, 2025, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, following the critical sessions previously held in Busan, South Korea.
This Is the Moment
On a day when many were content to post hashtags, BAN Toxics and its allies chose instead to occupy space, engage minds, and spark change. They reminded the nation—and the world—that plastic pollution isn’t just an environmental issue. It is a moral emergency, a battle for justice, and a fight for our right to breathe clean air, drink safe water, and live on a planet that sustains life rather than drowns it in plastic.
The fight continues—but today, in Calumpit, it gained new warriors. Warriors armed not with swords or guns, but with bayongs, resolve, and an unbreakable belief that change is possible.
The revolution has begun.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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